The Official Blog of the Independent Community of Educators, a caucus of the United Federation of Teachers

Monday, March 05, 2007

Can Randi Bite the Board of Ed Hand that Improperly Granted Her State Certification?

Tenure is now under attack from Bloom-Klein. As the excerpt below from a 2003 Village Voice piece by respected investigative journalist Wayne Barrett illustrates, Board of Ed officials finagled the rules back in the nineties so that Randi Weingarten could obtain the permanent state certification that is needed for tenure. How can UFT President Randi Weingarten stand up for our tenure rights when she never legitimately earned state certification or tenure herself? She is at the mercy of Bloom-Klein in order to obtain a city pension on top of her UFT pension.

(The following was taken from the May 14, 2003 Village Voice in an article called "Weingarten's War." The topic was Randi Weingarten's speech at the 2003 UFT Spring Conference.)

The grandiose conclusion of the speech-a challenge to Chancellor Joel Klein and his deputies to teach a weekly class-was designed to portray them as out of touch with school realities, culminating with her snickering offer to allow UFT officers" to mentor" Klein et al. "during their internships."

Ironically, Weingarten is an attorney like Klein and represented the union until 1998, when UFT president Sandra Feldman moved up to the national presidency and installed Weingarten as her successor, handpicking her over a cadre of elected union leaders who were also career teachers.

In urging Klein "to walk in the shoes of teachers" on Saturday, she described how she'd done it, claiming that she "taught, sometimes full time, sometimes part time, at Clara Barton High School for six years." Actually, records reviewed by the Voice indicate that she taught 122 days as a per diem teacher from September 1991 through June 1994, roughly one in four days. She then did what she told the Voice was her only full-time term in the fall semester of 1994, followed by 33 days as a per diem teacher in the spring of 1995.

Strangely, while she told the Voice she was a per diem for the 1995-96 and 1996-97 school years, her records list her as a full-time teacher. Because she was credited with the required two years of full-time service she doesn't even claim she performed, she was given a permanent certificate in September 1996. She has been on union leave since 1997, accumulating a total of nine years of pensionable city time though she only did one semester of full-time teaching.

ICE is putting this piece out now not as a personal attack on President Weingarten, who we acknowledge is a hard working person. Our purpose is professional. Tenure is currently under fire from Bloom-Klein. We need to know that the teachers' union president is not beholden to our employer for his/her pedagogical position so he/she will be able to fight for us and not have to worry about his/her own status being exposed by Bloom-Klein.

Randi is building two pensions: one from the UFT and one from the city. Her city pension is based on her accruing time as a teacher on leave, working for the UFT. Since Randi never gained the necessary teaching experience to be a permanently certified teacher, she is indebted to the city to keep accumulating city time for her city pension. Don't you think the Chancellor is aware that Randi lacks proper teaching credentials? Since Randi is beholden to the city, who clearly broke the rules for her, how hard can she fight for us, particularly on the tenure issue?

To put it another way, Randi has been living in a glass house for a long time; can she throw stones at the people who are allowing her to stay in that glass house who have been trying to destroy us?

Even people who write to the NY Post know the UFT favors Mayoral Control

MAYORAL CONTROL FAILS NOT-SO-PUBLIC SCHOOLSMarch 5, 2007 -- THE ISSUE: A recent rally to protest the city's efforts to reform public education in New York.

It's time you stopped blaming the ills of New York City's public schools on Randi Weingarten and the UFT's members "Randi's Rent-a-Rally," Editorial, Feb. 28).Neither Weingarten nor the UFT have expressed any wish to end mayoral control. On the contrary, if you look back to 2002, the UFT supported mayoral control.In the last five years, no-bid contracts have jumped from a little over $1 million to a whopping total of $121 million. Let's stop spending on these organizations.No one in the UFT argues that problems continue to plague the DOE. But even the principals don't know how the reorganization will impact their schools and are hesitant to commit to one of the three choices. It's time to stop, look and listen.

Go tell people to whine as they work their behinds off to get their experience or parents who need to stay home with kids and lose their certification. Who's pulling strings for them? Certainly not Randi.

These kinds of posts really don't help anyone. I've literally lost votes because of the nastiness they've seen here. You're not helping anyone, much less TJC activists with this stuff. One of my members sent me a post where you guys praised the nypost and called ACORN, radical left-wing and chastised the UFT as too liberal. Happily I don't see it but is that accurate, is some doing right-wing commentary?

You're confusing my two points. First, we've been through this attack on Randi before and it didn't work. It backfired with my members and newer activists. It may make some people feel morally superior but it comes across as nastiness to my members.

Secondly I had been passed some praise of the NY Post editorial from last week and an attack on the UFT's ties to "radical left-wing" groups like ACORN by ICE. I came to check see for myselves and asked about it. Our criticism should never be from the perspective of the far-right.

The attack on the UFT as too radical came on a different blog. Don't blame ICE for everything.

As for Randi's teaching background, I am an ICE supporter but do not agree with this mode of attack on Randi. I do not think her actions are determiend by whether she is held hostage because the wants to maintain her teaching license. More distrubing is why she always lies about this issue as she did on NY 1 when she claimed she taught 5 periods a day for 6 years.

What is your point? You guys are just so hateful!! You will say anything and do anything to discredit Randi. Nevermind UNITY. I am not sure you dislike her because of her leadership. Take a pill guys. Idiots!

Check out the ICE leaflet and platform to see what ICE would do. It is a legitimate question if Randi doesn't have proper certification. Everyone should know about it and how it lessens her ability to fight. No Unity person has refuted anything in the article.

I thought you guys couldn't sink any lower then the phoney debate entry you did a few days ago, but apparently I was wrong. First, to set the record straight, there never was any debate setup between Randi and Kit Wainer. Both were invited to speak - at separate times - at a chapter meeting for adult ed. They both did so as planned before a small group of adult ed folks. In an effort, as you ICE Hacks often do, to make something out of nothing, you suddenly announced, just hours before the event, that this was to be a public debate and then chastised Randi for refusing to participate. You make a mockery over what you claim should be fair, clean elections.Now about this canard over Randi's teaching credentials. It doesn't matter whether Randi taught 20 years or 20 minutes. The fact is that your candidate doesn't have a plan to improve the status of teachers that will hold up under even the slightest scrutiny. In fact, I have yet to hear about an actual platform from Mr. Wainer. Randi may be more a labor attorney than a teacher, but your candidate is a zero. Until you guys build a credible opposition party with credible candidates who have actual plans for improving the lot of teachers, you will remain a marginal, lunatic fringe group (I guess that's a blessing considering the kind of people you are).

Look, those of us who have been teaching for awhile know Randi taught for 6 months @ Barton High where Casey was the chapter leader in order to complete the requirements for certification. I found that disturbing then and I find it disturbing now. Why she keeps lying about it is just strange. Why people keep screaming foul abuse @ those who bring it up is even stranger. Randi is a lawyer and a union president; she is not a teacher. Now, with that information, decide for yourself whether that is good for us or not.

How is Randi's experience or lack of experience, not an issue? Many newer people don't know about this issue and how it could distort her ability to fight for us or have the perspective of a teacher. None of the Unity faithful have refuted anything that was said in the Voice or the ICE commentary.

I have one question for Unity: What is ICE allowed to criticize Randi on? If ICE criticizes the contract, they're anti union. If ICE criticizes Randi's lack of teaching experience and credentials, they're lower than low. If ICE criticizes Randi for not allowing cameras at a joint appearance, they're wrong.

Unity would feel much more at home in China or someplace where a leader like President Hu could just tell you what to do. On the other hand, it's ok for Unity to call UTP Nazis. Or, they can call ICE-TJC the "axis". I guess it comes down to this: Unity can dish it out all it wants but can't take it.

I am beginning to think that maybe Bloomberg-Klein are paying you guys! That's right! That would be something else, wouldn't it? I find it amusing that you say something to the effect that "we don't mean this to be a personal attack on Randi." Well, guys, grow up! It is a personal attack on her, and it's a personal attack on me because I believe in the UNION that she has been working hard to create. She represents our UNION and you are practically advocating she loses her license, tenure, or whatever so that YOU make a political point and sound to those that have simple minds as true unionist. The truth is that you are not UNIONISTS. Randi is a UNIONIST. You guys are just full of hatred, fear mongering individuals who frankly have lost the little respect I had for you. When Randi advocated for Jeff Kauffman to be returned back to teaching after he was reassigned for an inappropriate relationship with one of his students - you guys didn't complain (NY Times). When Randi advocated on behalf of James Eterno's school - you didn't complain (NY Teacher). When Randi advocated for the return of Sam Lazarus to his school after he was reassigned on allegations made by a student - you didn't complain either (source at Bryant H.S.) You thanked her publicly because she did a good job. However, now you turn around and claim she can't speak on behalf of teachers because of her limited teaching experience. Guys, it didn't take me long to find out this profession is a HARD profession. It didn't take me long to know I needed more pay. It didn't take me long to figure out I wanted fewer kids in my classes. It didn't take me long to figure out that my principal didn't have a clue as to what my kids needed. It didn't take me long to know I needed to be respected. I could care less how long she taught. She gets it. She fights for me. She fights for all of us, including those that in other unions wouldn't last very long because they are not true unionists. Have you read the NY POST? Have you read the Daily News editorial page? Are you going to tell me that Bloomber-Klein control RAndi? Again, it wouldn't surprise me if ICE-TJC is a front for BLOOMBERG-KLEIN so that they split this union. REJECT KLEIN-BLOOMBERG-KLEIN-TJCF. VOTE FOR RANDI. MAINTAIN THE UNION!!

But they face opposition. The United Federation of Teachers is orchestrating a vocal, visible campaign that casts Bloomberg's reforms as the work of inept bureaucrats. And, give her credit, UFT President Randi Weingarten has done a masterful job of pulling together a Noah's Ark of advocates and packaging them as the one true voice of city parents.

Terrific propagandist that she is, Weingarten leads the bunch as a champion of powerless parents facing despots out to wreak havoc on their children's education. But she is championing only her members' interests, because what's threatened is a status quo with virtually no accountability and gross inequities in school funding.

It is amazing how many people feed from our dues and will fight tooth and nail to protect their overpaid salaries. Randi represents the symbol of the feeding trough and her reputation must be protected if these hacks are to keep their money. Randi is going to Washington and will take a couple of cronies with her. Who will she appoint. We had Sandy, Randi. We will have a Dandy!

If the piece that ICE just put out will force Randi to no longer distort and mislead about her teaching, then it will have been a very successful post. Every time Randi goes out and talks about her teaching career, most of us who know anything cringe.

None of the Unity people who comment here has said anything refuting the facts. Therefore, we all know it's true. Is ICE supposed to keep all of Unity's dirty little secrets quiet? God knows what the reaction will be if Jeff posts some of their outrageous salaries here.

We do need a leader who has classroom experience; someone who knows what it's like to slog it out in the classroom five periods a day for years before they run the union.

Randi fights for us. Isn't that supposed to be her job? However, was she fighting for us when she agreed to the 2005 Contract that sent us back to school in August, sent us back out in the halls and cafeterias, added the 37.5 minutes four days a week and took away our right to grieve letters in the file?

"When Randi advocated for Jeff Kauffman to be returned back to teaching after he was reassigned for an inappropriate relationship with one of his students - you guys didn't complain (NY Times). When Randi advocated on behalf of James Eterno's school - you didn't complain (NY Teacher). When Randi advocated for the return of Sam Lazarus to his school after he was reassigned on allegations made by a student - you didn't complain either (source at Bryant H.S.) You thanked her publicly because she did a good job."

Isn't Randi supposed to advocate for her Chapter Leaders? Is the price for her advocacy blind loyalty? If so, then you guys should all join Unity or New Action and make some money.

Randi keeps talking about her teaching so why isn't her teaching experience or lack of teaching experience, a legitimate politcal issue? I don't understand the fuss from the Unity guys.

It's an election Randi. If you can't stand the heat, then get out of the kitchen.

Does anyone have a tape or transcript of that interview? It should be posted everywhere. Randi is caught misleading about her record and everyone else is evil according to Unity. The arrogance of power.

How about instead of criticizing the contract or bashing Randi in a series of false and specious arguments, you concentrate on formulating an action plan for running the union (Heaven help us!) should one of your unknown and untested candidates win. Just think about it, if by some (obviously very big) miracle your candidate was to be elected president, how would you run this union? Where would you find the expertise, not to mention the personnel, to run the Salary, Certification, Health, Safety, Welfare, Pension, Grievance and other Departments? Where would you find District and Borough Representatives who know the players both within and outside the schools? In actuality, nothing could be worse for the teachers in NYC, and better for Bloomberg and Klein, than for you guys to get control of the UFT. In a very short time, the entire union would grind to a screeching, horrible halt. And for those of us in the trenches, nothing could be worse. Think about this carefully, folks, when it's time to vote.

If ICETJC won and returned phone calls and didn't delay grievances forever it would be a marked improvement. A little less working together with the Board of Ed and a little more fight would make our lives in the trenches much better. If the ICE TJC people didn't know what they were doing, why do most of them keep getting reelected in their schools? The only reason they are shut out of big union jobs is because they won't join Unity and sign away their public free expression rights.

Still no word from anyone from Unity on whether what ICE and the Voice say is true. It clearly is a totally accurate piece. What about Randi's salary Jeff? Can you tell us how much she's making? Is she over $300,000 per year yet? That's over six times more than a starting teacher and over ten times more than a starting para. Or is she still getting by on 1/4 million?

Being ugly is nothing to brag about ICE. Just because there is an election doesn't give you the right to engage in "gutter politics". I really don't think the top of your ticket has "the right stuff" to oppose someone as tricky as Bloomberg/Klein. Just "throwing stones" doesn't mean you're responsible enough to run the UFT. I think your slate may be useful in making improvements in our union however this type of a personal attack to me is really embarrassing. I rarely agree with hypatia but she makes some real good points in her post this time.

I agreed with the UTP when I felt that what they were saying was good for the Union as a whole. Including where I thought where ICE/TJC could learn from them what were the main issues for UFT members. This post says "Can Randi Bite the Board of Ed Hand that Improperly Granted Her State Certification". That to me is a personal attack on Randi's livelihood as others has said on this blog posting. I'm looking for a strong UFT. I don't care much about salaries as much as I care about who is going to do the right thing for this Union. That's to me is just being practical. Just like a ICE post made by a ICE leader who says when they agree with Unity they support their actions and when they disagreed with them they criticize them. I reserve the same right to criticize ICE and UTP if necessary. This post is plain ugly. It is also to me an indication of how the opposition would fight if they ran the Union. UTP criticizes everybody, they are not running for election as a party. They act as " Snake Head" has described as a 'watchdog group' for the UFT and that is really cool with me. They give comic relief to all of us in the trenches. I'm not for anarchy and sometimes I see the ICE/TJC coalition as bent on winning at any cost including possibly at the expense of weakening of the UFT. This isn't a real war this is a election. Unity really needs to change and I think we will all see those changes. Am I a Unity supporter - no. The UFT comes first to me, partisan politics runs a poor second.

In my opinion red baiting has to do with a negative connotation applied to a person who hasn't professed socialist values and applying a negative connatation to those values as well. I don't know Kit but my sense is that he is proud of his politics and doesn't hide from them. If Unity and company was able to find his quotes what would the NYC daily newspapers or for that matter FOX media do with that information.

Hey Justdatruth, why would you even read those low-life scum the utp? You say you want a strong union yet you read those anti-democratic right wing dirt bags? Even ICE/TJC has distanced themselves from them.

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Each year our union is required, by law, to file several financial reports. The form, called an LM-2, is available here. This report reflect transactions for the year ending July 31, 2014. It was prepared on December 23, 2014.

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